Material mixing apparatus for road machines



Sept. 27, 1955 G. P. GREEN MATERIAL MIXING APPARATUS FOR ROAD MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1952 George P Green INVENTOR ATTORNEY Spt 27, 1955 P, GREEN 2,718,830

MATERIAL MIXING APPARATUS FOR ROAD MACHINES Filed March 24, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W c419? I72 #1? 174 $170 4 175 I A A I 2) '/986 I 6 I99 I92 0, 1- w s I65 202 T T o 1w 207 m I U George Green INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent APPARATUSFOR ROAD 1 j MACHINES 7 George P. Green, Lnbbock, Tex. l Application March 24, 1952, Serial No. 278,249

" 3-Claims. Cl. 94 -40 This inventio'n relates' to an improvement in road ma chines; and the principal object-is to provide a machine of t rs-classwhich may be advantageously applied in corisanction operations relative to road subgrades, base courses, surface courses and other work of similar nature such 'a's terracing, leveling, compacting and miscellaneeus construction of this nature. These and other ob je'ctS-"aieherctinafter more fully described, illustrated in t'-lre"- drawings, and specifically pointed out inthe appended claimsiit' being understood that construction deviations may 'bemade'so long as they fall within the scope of the claims.

This application isa continuation-in-part of Serial No. 580,882, filed March 3} 1945 now Patent No. 2,601 ,277 Figure I'is an elevation of the right sideof' the machine. Figure 2 is'an enlarged and fragmentary top plan view of tlienr'achine shownin-Figure- 1. I

Figure 3 is" a sectional elevation of a front portion of the carriagea'ssembly.

Figure 4 is a transverse section along lines 4-4 and Figure 3;

Figure 5 z is asectional view of a mixer claw' along line 's gsi Figure 4:

' Figure 6 is'a sectio'nal view of a' mixer shaft along'line' Fignre 3, and

Figure'7 isa section through'the mixer shaft along line 7-7, Figure Similafnumerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

;I'n= -general;- the machine comprises-a horizontal frame provided withsupporting wheels at each end; to travel along agstri ptof work, with the woodworking structure spanned transversely theret0;,and acarriage frame'roller mounted on the structure and supporting 'certain" members suchgasqa mixer, blades and rollers adapted to performe sequence of road construction operationsas the carriage is prppelledsback and forth across the work. The travel rate pf theentire machine along the strip. of work is-cookdinated with the carriage travel, so that the operations lap to produce a uniformly worked section. It is to the material mixing apparatus that this application pertains.

The structure which spans the work comprises two I beams, 1 and 2, which are hinged at the middle on hinges 3. The I beams are spaced and secured horizontally by the braces 4, Fig. 4. The I beams are pivoted about hinges 3 by means of shaft 5, Figs. 1 and 5, with eccentric portions connecting integral truss portions 6 of the beams through suitable links. A crank 8 with a worm gear cooperates with a gear 9 which is adapted to rotate shaft 5 and thus enable adjustment of the angle at which beams 1 and 2 meet at hinges 3. This is for the purpose of predetermining the crown of the road section under construction or repair.

The span structure is detachably fixed to girders 10, and braces 15, Figs. 1 and 3, by bolts (not shown) passing through holes in the contacting flanges of the members, the bolt holes being arranged along the I beams to permit fixing the girders 10 at optional positions to ice thus adapt the wheel tread to various widths, aswell as to facilitate knock-downfor transportation. GirdersflO are supported by a wheel arrangement on each end adapted to support the entire machine.

The rear wheels'll, Figs. 1 and 2, are relatively wide for hearing and traction purposes. Axle'12 for wheel 11 is rotatably mounted in bearings 13 on framemember' 14, which are fixed to girders 10. Braces 15 connect frame members 14 tobeam 2 and are fixed to girders 10. A sprocket17, Fig. 1,' is fixed to each wheel 11 and cooperates with-chain 18' to which power is transmitted to propel the machine.

Pneumatic front wheels 19,. Figs. land 21, are rotatably fixedto respective forks 20 from'which a piston 21 exten'dsinto a cooperating hydraulic cylinder 22. .A link 23, fixed'to front Wheel fork 20, is adapted to be'fixed at option to a bracket'24 which is rigidly fixed to cylinder 22 so" that piston 21 is freefor longitudinal motion and restrained from rotation in the cylinder 22.

The carriage which supports the various road'operation performing members comprises a frame consisting of main members 25, Fig. 1.

The carriage frame, members 25 etc., with the attached operation members and the intermediate frame are propelled back' and forth along beams 1 and 2' of the span structure, by means of cable 46 which is attached to each support member 37 by means of eye bolts 47. Cable 46 passes over'a sheave 48 (Figs.'1 and 2) at each-end of the span structure and overdrum 49 which actuates the cable. V Preferably the cable is fixed to the drum" to pre vent slippage and sufficient raps'are' made over the drum each side'of the fixed point to permit suificient'drum rotation either way for the back and forth travel of the cable. Drum 49 is actuated by a power 'plant 50-throug h a transmissioriSl' adapted to automaticaly reverse the direction of rotation of drum 49 at a' predetermined instant.

' The combination leveling and rnixermember is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The mixing rotor 151, Fig. 3, issecured to shaft 1 5 2'by'nut' 153 forhorizontal rotation. The mixer is adapted to discharge a fluidto material through openings1' 5'4. Mixer shaft 152 is rotatably supported by bearing 156m housing 157 which is disposed in ahousing 158'to permit vertical motion of 157' to adjust the depth of operation. Packings 159 and 160 are provided to seal the lubricant. A' cover comprised of parts 161 and 162 are secured by bolts'163 (Fig. 4) to protect the parts from abrasive" materials. A bracket 164'is'attached to-cover 161 and'th'readedfto crank 'operatedscrew 165 with antithrustcollar 166to'control depth setting. A gear 167 stipportedby'bearings 168 is slidably fitted to mixer shaft 15 2' to rotate tlie'mixer. A cover 169 is secured to-casing 158bybolts 1 10 andis adapted with packing 171 to seal mixer shaft 152. Fitting 172 for connection of fluid supply line comprises non-rotating packing members 173 and 174, and retaining flanges 175 and 176 with packing 171 which rotates with shaft 152. A fluid line support 178 is provided.

A material retaining hood over the mixer comprises side members 179 and 180 fixed to supports 181 from the carriage frame by bolts 182, and top 183 being secured by bolts 184, Figs. 3 and 4. Leveling members 185 (Fig. 4) are pivotally supported by brackets 186 secured to the hood by bolts 187 positioned by stop screws 188, fixed to the hood. The mixer is actuated by power plant 190 through clutch 191, through gear 192 and shaft 193 supported by case 194 and bearing 195, cooperating with gear 196 and shaft 197 supported by bearings 198 and 199. Gears 200, 201, 202 and control lever 203, control shaft 204, arm 205, yoke bearing 206 (Figs. 3 and 4) are arranged to permit two difierent transmission drive speed ratios for the mixer.

A two speed power take off for actuating a vibrating roller is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, Comprising shaft 207, gears 208 and 209, control lever 210, with shaft 211 and arm 212.

Fluidcement, asphalt or other agent is conveyed to the mixer through flexible conduit 213 (Fig. 1) connected to fitting 172 and supported by link 214 and clamp 215. To support the other end of the fluid conduit a reel is provided in which drum 217 is rotatably supported by hollow shaft 218 journaled upon the span structure by bracket 216. Fitting 219 is secured to drum 217 by bolts 221 and 222 and serves to convey fluid from shaft 218 to flexible conduit 213. A fluid supply source may be mounted on the machine and connected by fitting 226 to hollow shaft 218.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The construction of a flexible base, sub grade, or courses stabilized with cement, bitumen, salt, or the like, and other courses which require mixing, addition of water or stabilizing material, levelling and compacting to a defined section, are all handled in the same general manner. r

The material to be worked is uniformly windrowed in the middle, or evenly distributed over the work strip. The wheels which support the machine are set to travel on the outer parts of the work strip, and the machine is adjusted to operate to the desired width. Leveling members 185 are adjusted in elevation to level the material and above any surplus to the edges; and mixer rotor 151 is set to operate at a predetermined depth; and the required quantity of moisture or stabilizing material in fluid condition is introduced through the rotor 151 as set forth.

The above description and drawings are merely an illustration of my invention in one of many possible forms of application, and the scope of protection contemplated is to be taken from the appended claims interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

' What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported frame structure; a trackway supported by said frame structure transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof; a carriage supported on said trackway for back and forth movement thereacross; power means mounted on said frame structure to propel the machine; means operated by said power means to actuate the carriage back and forth on said trackway at a predetermined travel rate relative to the rate of the movement of the machine; a mixing and leveling device supported by said carriage and comprising a rotor having a hollow shaft mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, said rotor having a plurality of outwardly extending tubular, perforate arms; power means on said carriage for rotating said rotor; a material retaining hood supported on said carriage, said rotor being disposed in said hood with said arms extending below the lower ends of said hood, and means connected to said hollow shaft for supplying liquid for mixing with material moved by said arms, said liquid flowing downwardly through said hollow shaft to said tubular arms.

2. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported frame structure; a trackway supported by said frame structure transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof; a carriage supported on said trackway for back and forth movement thereacross; power means mounted on said frame structure to propel the machine; means operated by said power means to actuate the carriage back and forth on said trackway at a predetermined travel rate relative to the rate of the movement of the machine; a mixing and leveling device supported by said carriage and comprising a rotor having a hollow shaft and mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, said rotor having a plurality of outwardly extending tubular, perforate arms mounted on said shaft; power means on said carriage for rotating said rotor; and means connected to said hollow shaft for supplying liquids for mixing with material moved by said arms, said liquids flowing through said shaft to said tubular arms.

3. In a machine of the class described, a wheel supported frame structure; a trackway supported by said frame structure transversely of the longitudinal axis there of; a carriage supported on said trackway for back and forth movement thereacross; power means mounted on said frame structure to propel the machine; means operated by said power means to actuate the carriage back and forth on said trackway at a predetermined travel rate relative to the rate of the movement of the machine; a mixing and leveling device supported by said carriage and comprising a rotor having a hollow shaft mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, said rotor having a plurality of outwardly extending tubular, perforate arms; power means on said carriage for rotating said rotor; a material retaining hood supported on said carriage, said rotor being disposed in said hood with said arms extending below the lower ends of said hood; and means connected to the upper end of said hollow shaft for introducing liquids within the hood for mixing with material moved by said arms, said liquids flowing through said hollow shaft and into said tubular perforate arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,114 Peterson Mar. 21, 1922 1,725,190 Hicks Aug. 20, 1929 2,022,287 Ingalls Nov. 26, 1935 2,138,904 Carswell Dec. 6, 1938 2,192,027 Crowder Feb. 27, 1940 2,314,358 Lewis Mar. 23, 1943 2,394,017 Seaman Feb. 5, 1946 2,438,159 Faber Mar. 23, 1948 2,449,710 Miller Sept. 21, 1948 

